While I haven't seen the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, I feel it's safe to say that this week, many of us got a taste of how Bill Murray's character felt early on in the film.
Yet again we have been plunged into the world of heavy restrictions - firstly with the introduction of level four restrictions on Monday, and then with Tuesday's announcement of a seven-day lockdown.
It's important to remember we've been in this position before, and we've managed to come out the other side in good shape.
Yet this time feels different. After all, we're dealing with the Delta strain, and we've seen the chaos it has created in NSW and Vic. This variant doesn't play by the rules.
The situation has evolved at breakneck speed. Less than two weeks ago I was singing and dancing - if you call playing air guitar while belting out Livin' on a Prayer at the top of my lungs 'singing' and 'dancing' - at a friend's wedding. This time last week I was able to venture to the Adelaide Showground for the final day of the SA Junior Heifer Expo.
But fast-forward a week and the situation has changed so much that my family and I are unable to even hold a funeral to farewell a loved one.
Related reading: SE Merino Field Day called off due to COVID-19 lockdown
It can be exhausting trying to stay across the ever-evolving restrictions, and I particularly feel for those in the newly-shrunken SA/Vic border bubble, as well as those scheduled to hold ram sales across the state next week.
As we've seen far too many times in the past 18 months, the necessity to tighten restrictions and introduce lockdowns has caused havoc for event organisers across the state. In the space of 24 hours, we saw the postponement or cancellation of the South East Merino Field Day, AdvanceAg conference and Hart's Winter Walk - adding to earlier cancellations of the DairySA Innovation Day and Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
I really feel for all those organisers who have invested countless hours and a small fortune to stage an event in the midst of a pandemic, only to have all their efforts foiled at the very last hurdle.
While lockdowns and the tightening of restrictions affect each of us in different ways, it's important to remember we are all united by a common goal - to keep this devastating virus out of our community and protect the ones we love.
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
Jacinta Rose
Editor of the Stock Journal - South Australia's agricultural masthead
Editor of the Stock Journal - South Australia's agricultural masthead
